National Rose Garden in Delhi Made Me Stop to Smell the Roses (Obviously)

The National Rose Garden in south Delhi was a highlight for me during my all-too-brief stay in India’s capital earlier this year. Nestled among the dozens of embassies along the city’s wide streets and parks, this lovely space in the Chanakyapuri neighborhood captured my eye one morning as I jobbed through the area before another day of site visits. The gate was locked, but the groundskeeper let me in and allowed me to stroll and yes, sniff the roses. Like other megacities within India, Delhi was often chaotic, yet my time there was far too short. After all, checking out the roses here could have been a daily routine.